Mykonos is a small island and therefore it is easily explored. It has great
beaches with soft white sand and crystal clear waters, made famous in the
popular British film Shirley Valentine which was filmed at Agios Ioannis,
just a few kilometres from Ornos beach.

The capitol of the Island, Mykonos Town (Hora), with its colourful harbour
in which little fishing-boats nestle happily side by side with luxury
yachts, presents quite a different picture from the majority of Aegean
island towns. Mykonos is famed as being the quintessential Cycladic
village, with maze like narrow paths framed by dazzlingly white-washed
buildings. While it is usual for island villages to be built on naturally
amphitheatrical sites, Mykonos is spread out over a flat area and conveys
an impression of solid aesthetic cohesion.

The nightlife on Mykonos is the best in the Aegean, with DJs of great
renown coming from all over Europe to perform in the wild clubs. Those
seeking a bacchanal holiday of sun and beach in the day and endless
partying in the night are perfectly suited to Mykonos.

Little Venice is one of the most charming districts of Mykonos Town and
one of the prettiest places in the Cyclades. Its picturesque, two and
three storey houses with colorful balconies, windows and doors, built
right on the sea, form a unique picture. Little Venice is the perfect spot
from which to view the sunset.

Ano Mera is, after Mykonos town, the most important of the older villages
of the island. Standing 8 km. (5 miles) to the east of the town, Ano Mera
has the interesting monastery of Our Lady Tourliani, ornamented with
woodcarvings. The church has a collection of valuable ecclesiastical
vessels, vestments and embroideries. The courtyard contains an interesting
bell-tower and a marble fountain.

The best bus system to be found in all the islands also helps to make
this an accessible place to visit and it combines with a caique system
that provides alternative frequent transport to the beaches. The service
offered in Mykonos far surpasses that elsewhere in Greece with its
sophistication and helpfulness.

Mykonos is a busy island with all the amenities of a modern resort with
plenty to do by day or night, for those who want to have a lively time.
Yet visitors fond of more peaceful holidays will still find quiet corners
in which to relax.

Beaches

The many sandy beaches of Mykonos are reputed as some of the best in the
Cyclades. There is a beach for every taste, from popular family beaches to
the more "cosmopolitan" and nudist.

The more popular family beaches include:

Platis Yialos: One of the most popular beaches in the Mediterranean, with
a regular bus service to town about 4 km (2½ miles) away. This beach is
excellently organized and provides a variety of facilities for sea sports
such as water-skiing, diving, pedal boat and more. There is also a daily
small boat transport from the Platis Yialos pier to all other south coast
beaches of Paranga, Agrari, Elia, Paradise and Super Paradise.

Ornos: On the south-west side of Mykonos and about 3 km from town. The
sandy beach slopes gently into the sea so it is perfect for families with
small children. There are schools for water-skiing & surfing.

Psarou: Another of the more well know beaches of Mykonos, about 5 km
(3miles) from town. The wonderful location, clean sea and sandy beach is a
combination that attracts many tourists. The beach is excellently
organized offering a variety of sea-sports which includes scuba-diving.

Agios Stefanos: The windless sandy beach of Ag. Stefanos is 2km north of
Mykonos Town. It has a variety of good services and sea sport facilities
such as water skiing, surfing and jet skiing.

Megali Ammos, Kalo Livadi, Tourlos, Agios Ioannis and Korfos bay are other popular family beaches.

Some of the more cosmopolitan beaches of Mykonos include:

Super Paradise: A magnificent beach with crystal clear blue water in a
small, deep bay: half the beach is family-oriented, the other half is
fully gay with nude bathing permitted, nudists often prefer the rocky
paths & coves. Most famous gay beach in this part of the Mediterranean.
Regular caiques / boat service from Platis Yialos Beach.

Paradise: A beautiful beach with a mostly younger crowd. Big, well
organized camp sites and bus service. Many water sports. As the sun goes
down the lively bars get into full swing with electronica, techno music,
and parties.

Paranga: A 15-min. walk from central Platis Yialos Beach; small, beautiful
beach organized one end and includes a small mainly gay section Good
quality taverns nearby.

Elia: A not so crowded, large beach with a mix of sun worshippers: hetero,
gay and some nudity at one end. The organized part has 3 restaurants and
tavernas. Elia is the last stop of the small boats leaving from central
Platis Yialos Beach, there is also a bus service from Mykonos Town, which
is 10 km (6½ miles) away.

Restaurants

Mathios Taverna at the new port is meant to be one of the island's best

Sale and Pepe in Mykonos town is excellent fine Italian dining

Edem in Mykonos town is a very romantic restaurant beside a swimming pool in a quiet courtyard and with excellent Mykonian cuisine

Katrin's. One of the most famous and oldest restaurants on the island, with classic French and Greek cuisine, excellent service.

Caprice in the little Venice area, next to the bar of the same name, with tables on the water's edge. Serves good traditional dishes.

Transfer Information

Central bus station in Mykonos town in area called Fabrika
Port has a bus station
Only 25 taxis and in high season up to 70,000 tourists
Caiques from the port to the beaches start at 10 AM

During the summer months in Mykonos there are an average of 70,000
tourists on the island per day. On the entire island there are only 25
taxis, which means that depending on taxis for transport can be an
exercise of great patience. For this reason I highly recommend that for
your arrival at least you arrange for a transfer, which entails being met
at the port by a person holding a sign with your name on it, who will then
transport you to your accommodation. Since there are no street names or
building numbers for addresses in Mykonos this is also extremely helpful
because you will be shown to your lodging.

All about Delos island.

The sacred island of Delos was, in the myths, the birthplace of Apollo and
Artemis. Today the island is uninhabited: it is a vast archaeological site
whose superb monuments draw thousands of visitors in pilgrimage to what
was, for a thousand years or so after the ninth century BC, the political
and religious centre of the Aegean.

The archaeological site covers almost the entire island, starting on the
west side, where the sacred harbour was. From the harbour, a majestic
sacred way led to the Sanctuary of Apollo, where there were temples,
altars, votive offerings and other buildings. There are ruins of four
temples to Apollo, one of them known as the Temple of the Athenians.

To the east is the Sanctuary of the bulls, an oblong building, and to the
north are the Treasuries and the long and narrow Stoa of Antigonns. In the
north-west corner is the much smaller Sanctuary of Artemis, with an Ionic
temple to the goddess, and the Tomb of the Two Hyperborean Maidens. Still
further north is the region of the sacred lake, with the Terrace of the
Lions, the Letoon, the Agora of the Italians and the Institution of the
Poseidoniasts of Berytos. A little further along are some fine examples of
houses and a palaestra. To the north-east of the lake is the Stadium and
the Gymnasium. Some of the houses yielded superb mosaic floors with
representations of Dionysus, a dolphin and a trident. A narrow channel
separates Delos from Rhenia, where there is an important burial ground.

The Museum of Delos has sculptures of the Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic
and Roman periods, together with a collection of vases from various
periods.